The Sacrifice
by Kazukagi
Summary: It's been 8 years since Ichigo and Rukia, with the help of Urahara, went into hiding after Rukia's pregnancy. But now, just as their daughter is turning 8, Soul Society has found them, and plan to bring judgment down upon Ichigo, Rukia, and their daughter


Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, nor any of its characters. Those all belong to Kubo-sama. Really, I'm serious. Don't believe me huh? Well think of it this way, if I owned Ichigo, Rukia and Bleach, what do you think would be happening in the next chapter? More battles, or a cut to Ichigo and Rukia... in a somewhat more... intimate... situation? Exactly, now don't sue me.

**A/N: A new idea that struck me a few nights ago during one of my insomnia fits. I've actually always had an idea along the lines of this, but no way to shape it. I think of it this way; in most stories, the only person who Ichigo needs to get permission from is Byakuya, and Soul Society just goes along with his love with Rukia. I got to thinking, what if Central 46 an Soul Society said no, you can't have a romantic involvement with Rukia? This story is based on that basic idea. Enjoy**

Summary: It has been 8 years since Ichigo and Rukia, with the help of Urahara, went into hiding after Rukia's pregnancy. But now, just as their daughter is turning 8, Soul Society has found them, and plan to bring their judgment down upon Ichigo, Rukia... and their only daughter.

Chapter One: Fall of the Gavel

Lights out, stars shining, the countryside still. Even so, he tossed and turned in bed, muttering in his sleep.

He was having that dream again.

"_Unacceptable."_

"_Impossible."_

"_Incomprehensible."_

"_Blasphemous."_

_He stood before them as always, neck craned as far back as possible to look into the faces of the those looming, all powerful judges as they towered over him. A quick side glance, she was trembling, looking down and hugging her stomach vigorously as tears leaked from her eyes. His teeth barred. He too felt as if his knees would give. Funny, he didn't remember trembling ever before._

"_It is strictly forbidden."_

"_And for good reason, too."_

"_Yes, it is one of our most sacred pacts."_

_The judges gave a pause to which a dead silence hung over the chamber. Everything seemed to blur, and he was only snapped back by her, by the hysterical sobs that were starting to break past her control and out into the open. He muttered something, almost to quiet for himself to hear, but he caught it. So did they._

_Why?_

"_It is the Shinigami's role to balance the living world."_

"_Silently."_

"_Efficiently."_

"_And above all, objectively."_

"_To be involved is to subjective."_

"_Is to be directly tied."_

"_Is to bring imbalance."_

_No._

_It was a soft plea, from some far off place, to distant, to faint to be recognized as having from from her. She was on her knees now, arms still wrapped around her midsection as if to stop some grave injury._

"_What of the child?" One asked another, not the first of their questions among themselves. As always, they got no say in their lives, just looked up as those greater powers juggled them in their grasp._

"_It will die."_

"_It will be killed."_

"_We must dispose of it."_

_No._

"_It brings imbalance."_

"_It ties together the worlds in the most grotesque fashion."_

_No._

"_We will kill it."_

_No._

"_He will be stripped of power and memory and returned."_

_No. No._

"_She will be stripped of rank and position. Given to her brother for safe keeping."_

_No. No. No._

"_And even after death, he will not remember her. They will never love again."_

_NO. NO. NO. NO._

_Then she was in a ball against the ground, her head pressed against the ground as she screamed and cried and wailed hysterically, constricting her gut as if to cut off circulation. He turned and ran to her, only to be blocked, barred by the men in black masks and robes, swords out stretched to warn him of his death. He clawed out, screamed her name, fought against the men and their blades. Anything, anything to reach her. But to no avail. Slowly, the room blurred once more, and all the colors swirled together. His final thought, final sense, was that some place high above his head, a great gavel fell to a wooden desk in verdict._

"_Dismissed."_

Ichigo awoke from his bed in a cold sweat, eyes wide and mouth opened to scream.

XxXxX

Before the sound of his screaming voice could fill the room, Ichigo slapped a palm over his open mouth, the muffled scream dying silently in his hand. He sat up for a moment, trembling, before he allowed his shaky hand to fall back to his side. Still breathing hard, he returned his head to the pillow below him, passing a weary hand across his face. Tentatively, he turned to his right. Just as he expected, there she was, lying beside him, her sleeping face a picture of serenity. It was the same face he had awoken to every day of these past eight years. The face of his wife, Kuchiki Rukia.

As his breathing began to calm, Ichigo turned his eyes upward to the slowly spinning ceiling fan blades. They passed overhead in lazy circles, and as he stared, Ichigo's mind drifted. It had been that damn dream again. The same dream that had haunted him for the past eight years, the one that had awoken him almost every single night since the day it happened. A memory so strong that it seemed more vivid than the room he was standing in.

Ichigo turned over, greeted by the sound of his sweat soaked tank top ripping away from the sheet. Giving a silent curse, Ichigo stood up from the bed, walking over to chance into a dry top. Just as he pulled the white T-shirt over his head, a soft, tentative knock sounded at the bedroom door. Raising an eyebrow, Ichigo tip-toed over to the door, cracking it open. He was met with the sight of a small girl, perhaps up to his waist in height, with light brown hair and light purple eyes. She looked down at the teddy bear she clutched in her arms against her purple pajamas, the her unkempt hair falling in front of her face, as it was not drawn up in its usual ponytail.

"Daddy... I was having trouble falling asleep again... and I heard you screaming..."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow. He could have sworn that he had shut himself up before he let out a scream. Thus, he feigned ignorance.

"I wasn't screaming Kana-chan." He said sweetly. The girl gave her father an indignant look.

"You're a bad liar Daddy. I could hear you, yelling in your sleep. The only reason Mommy doesn't wake up is because she might as well be dead until the sun rises."

Ichigo sighed in defeat. She was right about Rukia, and besides, fighting with his smart mouthed daughter reminded him of fighting with the girl's mother. "Alright, you win. I was screaming in my sleep. However, at least I was asleep. What are you doing still up Kana-chan?" Ichigo asked, looking her straight in the eye. The girl shifted from side to side. "I was having trouble again. No matter how long I lie there with my eyes closed, I just can't get to bed...." The girl gave her father a pleading eye. Ichigo knew what would be coming next. So, as he was tired and thus fine with skipping their usual play, he gave his daughter a weary smile. "Would you like to sleep with you Mom and I?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes please!" The girl chirped excitedly as she raced to squeeze into the bed between her mother and Ichigo. As his daughter snuggled into the bed, Ichigo smiled. Every book that Rukia had forced him to read on child care had said that it wasn't good to let your child sleep in your bed this often. But honestly, those books could go to hell. Those were the same books that said Babies sleep through most of the day, and whoever wrote that one obviously had never had a child before.

"Mmm... good night Daddy..." Kana said softly as she quickly began to drift to sleep. Ichigo watched over her for ten minutes or so, until he was sure that she was fast asleep. After, he rose quietly from the bed once more, and walked out to the patio from the bedroom. Taking in a deep breath as the cool, night air greeted him, Ichigo sat down under the stars.

It really was beautiful, the place they lived. No longer did he and Rukia take up residence in Karakura, it was far too risky, and they would have been found quickly. Shortly after their escape and with some help from Urahara, they had moved north, to the rural Japanese countryside. Here they had built a house, nothing extravagant, but nice, and peaceful. Ichigo, who had at first dreaded living out of the cities, and Rukia who was actually afraid of all the open space, both grew to love the peace it brought them. Clean air, no disturbances, and no hollows. Where Karakura had been a damn spiritual oasis, with the hollows popping up every three feet, now there were none of spiritual significance besides the three of them. However, they had already taken precautions against that. Rukia currently inhabited a gigai that blocked her spirit energy, while both Ichigo and Kana wore small bracelets made of Blood Thirst Stone, which negated their spirit energies.

Ichigo gave a long sigh. They had given that bracelet to her for her third birthday, after it had become apparent that if left unchecked, Kana was most likely to take after her father, wild flailing spirit energy and all. Luckily she liked it, however she had the strictest instructions never to take it off, not even for a moment. Even though it was necessary, Ichigo hated the idea of it. Already at age eight, his daughter had to hide. When his daughter came running into his room at night, talking about nightmares with monsters that tried to take her away, Ichigo never had the comfort that other parents had of saying, and believing, that nothing would take their child away. Every time Ichigo lied, he hated himself just a little more.

"_But this isn't for us."_

Yes, they had both agreed on that. Had it been just the two of them, Ichigo would have had no problem taking on every single one of those Central 46 bastards to gain his freedom. But they weren't hiding to protect themselves. They were doing it to protect their child.

Off in the distance, the stars faded from the dark sky as the silvery light of the descending moon washed over them. It would be morning in a few hours, and Ichigo would have to go to work. Yawning, Ichigo returned to the bed. As he lay down, he saw the picture of Kana, snuggled up tight with Rukia, who had put her arms around her daughter's body in her sleep.

"_I'll do anything to protect them."_

Yes, how long ago did he say those words, yet the sentiment rang true. If it was in his power, Ichigo would find a way to protect his family.

However, Ichigo didn't realize just how powerless he was.

**XxXxX**

**Endnotes: And my first little chapter here. Short, but just setting up the scene for the next few chapters to follow. **


End file.
